Research Briefing
Constituent casework: war memorials
Resources and information for Members' staff about war memorials.
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Research Briefing
Water Bill 2013-14. Lords amendments
This note provides information on the Water Bill’s Committee, Report and Third Reading stages in the Lords. It highlights amendments made to the Bill and also gives a brief account of other significant amendments discussed. It does not provide an exhaustive account of proceedings or document every amendment discussed.
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Research Briefing
‘First Class the Post’: The Rise of Postal Voting
Since February 2001 it has been possible to get a postal vote on demand in Great Britain; voters no longer have to state a reason for applying for an absent vote or to obtain attestation of illness (etc.) from a medical practitioner or employer. As a result, the number of postal votes counted at general
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Research Briefing
The US-Japan Security Treaty and the East China Sea
During a three day visit to Tokyo in late April 2014, US President Barack Obama confirmed that the islands in the East China Sea known as Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by China are covered by 1960 US-Japan Security Treaty, under which the US has pledged to come to Japan’s defence if its territory is attacked. Some observers have argued that Obama’s statements mark the first time a US president has clearly taken Japan’s side over islands. However, President Obama stressed that this was "not a new position". His remarks come at a time of growing Japanese nervousness about the state of its longstanding alliance with the US.
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Research Briefing
New figures out on zero-hours contracts – what do we now know?
New ONS figures suggest there were 1.4 million zero-hours contracts (more precisely, employee contracts that do not guarantee a minimum number of hours) providing work in January-February 2014. Didn’t they previously say 583,000 people were on zero-hours contracts?
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Research Briefing
The European Union: a democratic institution?
The paper acknowledges the EU’s ‘democratic deficit’ and considers the causes of this. In the context of future EU Treaty reform, it considers possible remedies for the democratic deficit, including those proposed by the UK Government.
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Research Briefing
Crimes and misdemeanours: penalties and punishment in the UK financial services sector.
This note gives a broad outline of how financial crimes are defined and who is responsible for their policing.
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Research Briefing
Democratic Legitimacy and the EU: reading list
Is the European Union democratic? There is a vast amount of academic literature and a range of political views on the subject of the EU’s democratic legitimacy and how it might be improved.
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Research Briefing
Combating Boko Haram in Nigeria: is the UK doing enough?
Boko Haram (which means ‘Western education is forbidden’) has forced its way onto the UK news agenda over the last month – first through its bomb attack on a bus station in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, which claimed at least 71 lives, and then by abducting about 190 teenage girls from a school in Borno State
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Research Briefing
Community Right to Challenge
The Community Right to Challenge allows local communities the right to challenge how local authorities provide and run services. The Localism Act 2011 allows voluntary or community bodies, parish councils, or two or more employees of a local authority, to challenge the provision of a local authority service.
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Research Briefing
Defence Reform Bill: Lords Amendments
The Defence Reform Bill provides for the reform the way in which the Ministry of Defence procures equipment and support for the Armed Forces and, separately, extends the scope for the use of the Reserve Forces. The Government made several amendments to the Bill during its passage through the House of Lords and the consolidated Lords amendments to the Bill are available as Bill 197 2013-14. The Bill returns to the Commons on 29 April 2014.
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Research Briefing
Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013
This Act has strengthened the powers of social landlords to tackle tenants who sublet the whole of their dwellings for a profit.
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Research Briefing
Crossing the floor
Why isn’t there a by-election when an MP defects from one political party to another? There are no rules requiring the resignation of an MP who leaves one political party for another. A convention that the Member changing parties does not resign to fight a by-election accords with the arguments of Edmund Burke in the
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Research Briefing
High Speed Rail (London-West Midlands) Bill 2013-14
This paper has been prepared for the House of Commons Second Reading stage of the High Speed Rail (London-West Midlands) Bill, scheduled for 28 April.
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Research Briefing
Whistleblowing to MPs
Public interest disclosure law now protects whistleblowers that disclose information to Members of Parliament, provided certain conditions are satisfied.
Total results (page 384 of 639)